news details |
|
|
| Kashmir witnesses' shutdown, restrictions as Zubin Mehta performs at Shalimar Garden | | Civil Society concert draws attention of common people | |  Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Sept 7: Normal life was severely affected across Kashmir valley today due to a strike called in by separatists against the holding of concert by world famous music conductor Zubin Mehta and the restrictions put in by the state government for ensuring that the programme is incident free.
Meanwhile, both the 'Ehsaas-e-Kashmir' (feelings of Kashmir) musical concert by Zubin Mehta and the parallel concert 'Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir (reality of Kashmir) organized by the Civil Society were organized simultaneously at 5 PM at different venues. While the Zubin Mehta programme was held at Shalimar Garden the civil society concert was held at the Municipal Park in the vicinity of General Post Office, Srinagar.
Since early morning police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel donning the riot gear manned the roads leading towards the venue of the musical concert and erected barricades at many places. Nobody was allowed to move towards the Shalimar and the adjoining areas since these areas were put under siege by police and security forces agencies.
Both the roads leading toward Shalimar Garden from the Dalgate side and the Gupkar side were sealed and only VIPs were allowed to move towards the venue of the programme. Even the VIP vehicles were checked by police and CRPF personnel as the security agencies did not took any chance on the security front during the course of the programme.
People living in areas like Brien, Nishat, Shalimar, Ishbar and Harwan were put under siege by the police and security forces personnel. Nobody among these areas while allowed to move towards the Boulevard Road and as such the civilian movement was severely affected during the entire course of the day.
The tourists who are on a holiday in Kashmir these days faced hardships in moving around in the city as restrictions were put in place by security agencies at many locations in the Srinagar city. The tourists who wanted to visit the Mughal gardens were upset since they were not allowed to visit the world famous health resorts.
Security was at its zenith at Shalimar Garden as police and other security forces personnel could be seen at high alert while ensuring that there is no incident during the course of the musical concert. The guests who were invited to the musical programme reached the venue of the programme before the scheduled start at 5 PM. With very little local presence the only thing local about the programme was the venue of the programme.
In the meantime scores of persons turned up at the Municipal Park here to take part in the 'Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir' programme organized by the Civil Society. During the programme music composers, poets, rappers and other artists presented their items before the audience. The artists through their performance depicted the alleged human rights violations carried out by security forces in the Kashmir valley.
In the evening police lobbed smoke shells on people who were protesting against the lifting of a vehicle that was reported to be involved in a road accident at Budshah Chowk late in the evening. The driver of the vehicle was injured after he was fired upon by police personnel at the site of the incident.
A police spokesman said that a security naka checking party at Budshah Chowk, Srinagar was busy in checking the vehicles. He said the naka party asked a vehicle bearing registration number JK01R 5054 to stop. "The vehicle dodged the party and fled from the spot. The naka party fired at the tyre of the vehicle, injuring one person Mohammad Iqbal Sheikh of Machuwa Chadoora in the leg. He has been hospitalized and is so for out of danger," said the spokesman. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
